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Which card for Morocco? Which card for Morocco?
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North Africa Topics specific to North Africa and the Sahara down to the 17th parallel (excludes Morocco)
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  #1  
Old 22 Jul 2009
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Which card for Morocco?
I have read that some UK debit cards are not recognized by Moroccan ATM's. Advice is to take at least two different ones and try them at once. How about feedback on which banks' cards have been OK and which unuseable? This could be useful for all visitors. Linzi.
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  #2  
Old 22 Jul 2009
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LloydsTSB Visa debit card worked fine.

Even a Thomas Cook travelcard worked everytime we used it. I cant see you having any problems with a Visa card of some description.

G
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  #3  
Old 22 Jul 2009
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Hi Linzi,
From my experience, Visa is the way to go in North Africa. It wont work absolutely everywhere, but i believe it gives you a better chance than with Maestro.

Happy travels
Sam
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  #4  
Old 22 Jul 2009
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Take a chance.
Hi, as Abba sang, "Take a chance". I have an Alliance and Leicester account with VISA card. My concern is relying totally on this one card to access my account. I asked Alliance if they'd had any customers have trouble and they gave me a phone number to use which was no use--not comforting in the least! I'll have to head off with an emergency fund of £600 and either have the card work or negotiate to get money out to me. Far from ideal comes to mind. All other possible problems pale for me compared to this need to rely on plastic. Need to work harder on that proposed bank robbery then! Linzi.
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  #5  
Old 22 Jul 2009
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Can you get a credit card.....plan not to use it, but if you do really need it for some unforseen event, it's there

Sam
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  #6  
Old 22 Jul 2009
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Play your cards right!
Hi Linzi,

Lloyds Visa debit too. I think it also depends on whose cash machine you use. Credit Agricole are usually pretty good and I've never had a problem with the Attijariwafa (Bank of Squiggles)

To be honest, I have more problems in the UK. I can travel with my card all over North Africa without a hitch but at home I'll get a random "security block". Go figure...

Happy trails,

Jojo
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  #7  
Old 22 Jul 2009
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Playing the joker.
Hi Niva, read all the small print on credit cards and let's say they and I have different agendas! If I have real problems and use a credit card I'd be scared of not being able to pay back card before millions of percentage interest cut in. I'll just have to take a big chance. I just thought that problems with different cards might depend on the bank rather than VISA versus Maestro. Linzi.
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Old 22 Jul 2009
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Where did you read this? Please post a link.
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Old 23 Jul 2009
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Concerns.
Hi Tim, I read it in Chris Scott's superb reference book, Morocco Overland. Most others will be able to take his advice of taking more than one card. My concerns are due to using a bike that's not properly prepared which I am fully aware of, having only the one debit card-from a company I don't trust and having had a card blocked or declined before. I simply don't have enough money to do this trip in a reponsible and safe way. I've postponed this trip too many times now but I can only do it if nothing goes wrong. I don't know if it's foolhardy or if we're too cautious these days. I can't forget the spirit of Thor Heyerdahl on his epic sea voyages on Kon-Tiki and Ra. This is nothing in comparison with the risks he took. Linzi.
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Old 23 Jul 2009
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You should always have different cards from different banks in case one stops working, you damage it, lose it etc etc.

This is common sense when you go overseas. Eggs all in one basket etc.

I have visa debt cards from 3 different UK banks and they all work fine in Morocco.

If you have no luck with a card, just find a ATM from a different bank.
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  #11  
Old 23 Jul 2009
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One thing I found with my Barclays Visa debit card is that certain ATMs can have a bad moment and not accept your card. I found this mostly with Credit Agricole/Credit du Maroc, but there were others.
Fortunately, this only happened in Marrakech and Taroudant, where there was always an alternative ATM.
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  #12  
Old 23 Jul 2009
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The only issue I’ve had is that the ATM’s seem to limit the amount you were able to withdraw. From memory the equivalent to around £60 at a time. As there were 6 of us on the last trip I ended up having to use multiple cards (including credit cards) to draw money out when ever I found a working ATM.

I also thought it would be a good idea to take a couple of Post Office Travel money cards which are supposed to act like a Visa Debit card. They’ve ended up being a complete nightmare to load up with credit. You can’t do it online and the phone service is C**P. 70% of the time you end up going through all the security stuff only to be told that either their computer system is down and to call back later or the debit card you are attempting to use in order to load the card up has been declined


Seems like take a pile of Euro’s and or multiple cards.


Russ
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  #13  
Old 24 Jul 2009
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I personally use the Post Office credit card, as it is one of the cheapest for overseas use ( I travel a lot with work). Chosen because of this site:

Cheap Travel Money: Pick the right plastic to spend abroad...

No idea if its any use in Morocco - I'll find out in October!
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  #14  
Old 27 Jul 2009
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I was just in Morocco doing a loop of the country and used a Maestro card in several cities with no issues.

You definitely need cash as I struggled to find many places that would take credit card (my experience was large hotels and certain restaurants). And Visa and Mastercard more accepted then Diners / American Express.

So if you are planning to use your Maestro through ATMs, I would say no problems, it worked for me.
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  #15  
Old 4 Aug 2009
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we had total ATM chaos in Morocco this year

out of 8 people with 2 cards each, there were 4 cards that worked reliably, 4 cards that would work in some ATMs and 8 cards that never worked.

The issue seemed to be that a certain number of ATMs asked what type of account you wanted to draw money from, and no account type equalled the one that would release money!

some ATMs just said transactino declined and call to UK banks confirmed that there was no block on the cards!
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